Trunk-catch



.3.. A1 a ,m

(No Model.)

G VGROUGH.

TRUNK GATH.

'Patented Dc. 2,5, 1883.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

^ GEORGE GROUCH, NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO JOHN H. SESSIONS, OF

BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT.

TRUNK-GATO H.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 290,977, dated December 25, 1883.

Application filed December 14, 1882.

To all whom t may concern,.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE GEoUcH, of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Catches, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in trunk-catches; and the obj eets of my improvements are to provide a simple and inexpen- IO sive catch for boxes and trunks, which shall have special provision for securing against an accidental unfastening of the parts. I attain these objects by the simple construction illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure lis a front elevation of myimproved catch. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is a vertical section thereof on line x x of Eig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section thereof 2O on line y y of Fig.. 1, and Fig. 5 is a rear elevation of the keeper-plate.

A designates a plate adapted to be secured to the front of the trunk-lid, as by screws, nails, or rivets, and having journaled or'hinged 2 5 therein the swinging loop B.

O is the keeper-plate, having upon its front side a holding lug or stud, a', preferably cast integral with said plate.

Fitted to slide longitudinally in the lug d is a springpressed bolt, b, beveled off upon the front side of its lower end, and having a depression in its front, the upper shoulder of which constitutes a finger-piece, o, for forcing. said bolt longitudinally against the power of its spring d. Said bolt b lies within a recess cut vertically through the front of the lug c, and a pin or stud, g, passes through a slot in the metal at the rear of said bolt into the chamber e, upon the back of the keeper-plate, 4o where a small plate or washer, h, riveted or otherwise secured to the rear end of the pin g, holds the bolt in place. The spring dsurrounds the post k, and has one arm resting against one wall of the chamber e, while its other arm 45 bears against the plate h, whereby the spring has a constant tendency to force the bolt into the position in which it is represented in the drawings.v A protecting rim or iiange, m, projects froIn the front of the keeper-plate C, and

5o incloses the lug a upon its two vertical and lower sides, but with space enough between it and the lug to admit the lower end of the loop B.

out of the way when the loop is pressed up- (No model.)

. Other ordinary means may be employedfor vmounting the bolt and its spring, so long as the spring has a constant tendency to hold the end of the bolt projected beyond the edge of the lug a, and the bolt is adapted to slide back on it.

In use the loop and its plate will be secured to one part of the trunk and the keeper-plate to the other part-as, for instance, by secur- I-ing the loop-plate to the front of the trunklid and the keeper to the front of the trunkbody. When thus secured and the trunk is closed, the loop lies with the inside of its lower end resting upon the lower and beveled end of the bolt. By depressing the loop the bolt is forced back out of the way, the loop 7o closes down upon the keeper-plate and around the lug a, and the spring-pressed bolt snaps into position with its projecting end over the front of the loop, to securely fasten it in place. The projecting Jflange or rim surroundsthe end of the bolt and prevents it from being pressed inward to unfasten the loop by accident. In order to unfasten the catch, the bolt is lifted by an upward pressure of one finger upon the linger-piece' to release the loop, so 80 i that it may be disengaged from the lug.

I am aware of the patent to O. A. Taylor of May 21, 1878, No. 203,860, and various other patents showing slight variations thereof, and the same are hereby disclaimed. Said pat- 8 5 ent to Taylor shows a snap-hook with a projecting rim upon the plates, into which it snaps. My improvement diers from them all in the fact that after the loop engages the rigid projection or lng it is held against accidental displacement by a rigid spring-pressed catch, which projects over a portion of the swinging loop.

I claim as my invention- The herein-described fastening device, con- 9 5 sisting of a plate having a swinging loop journaledl therein, the keeper-plate having a holding-lug, and a spring-pressed catch or bolt adapted to retreat as the loop passes over and engages the holding-lug, and then to snap roo back into position to engage the loop against accidental displacement, substantially as described.

"Witnesses: GEORGE CROUOH.

JAMEs DEMAEEsT, WILLIAM A. BARE. 

